The subject invention relates to a pesticide application system for applying pesticides within the cavities of hollow wall structures; and in particular, to a permanent, easily serviced, unobtrusive pesticide application system for applying pressurized fluid pesticides within hollow wall structures that can be initially installed in a wall or retrofitted in a wall while maintaining the aesthetically pleasing appearance of the wall.
The treatment of cavities in the hollow walls of and behind and under the cabinets of homes, offices, apartments, restaurants, and other residential and commercial buildings with pesticides for pest control presents numerous problems, especially, when the buildings are occupied. For many applications, the occupants desire to maintain the aesthetic appearance of the outside surface of the wallboard or paneling forming the hollow wall. Thus, visible holes in the wallboard or paneling of a hollow wall through which pesticides can be sprayed into the cavity of a hollow wall should be kept to a minimum or eliminated. In addition, these cavities may need repeated pesticide treatments over a period of months or years and to save both time and expense it would be desirable to perform such repeated treatments through a minimum number of treatment stations that are permanent and provide ready access to such cavities to dispense pesticides throughout the cavities without unduly damaging or marring the outside surface of the wallboard or paneling forming the hollow wall.
One method currently used by the pest control industry to dispense fluid pesticides within hollow wall cavities utilizes tubular plugs that are inserted in holes made in the wallboard or paneling of a hollow wall. The fluid pesticides can be sprayed through the tubular plugs into the hollow wall cavities. However, the dispensing of fluid pesticides in hollow wall cavities through these tubular plugs presents several problems. First, the outer ends of the plugs are visible on the outside surface of the wallboard or paneling forming the hollow wall. Secondly, the area of pesticide coverage within the hollow wall cavity of the pesticide sprayed through each tubular plug is limited, especially, when the wall contains insulation, wiring, plumbing and other obstructions. Thus, in order to obtain full pesticide coverage within hollow wall cavities when utilizing these tubular plugs, numerous tubular plugs must be placed in the wall. The need for numerous tubular plugs detracts further from the appearance of the outside surface of the wall and the need to service numerous treatment stations to assure complete pesticide coverage within the hollow wall cavities increases the time required and possibly the amount of pesticide applied to complete a treatment. Thus, there has remained a need for a permanent, easily and quickly serviced, unobtrusive system for effectively dispensing pressurized fluid pesticides throughout the cavities of hollow walls in such buildings.
The pesticide application system of the subject invention provides a solution to the problems currently encountered in dispensing pressurized fluid pesticides within the hollow walls of homes, offices, apartments and other residential and commercial buildings by providing a permanent, easily and quickly serviced, unobtrusive system for effectively dispensing pressurized fluid pesticides throughout the cavities of hollow walls in such buildings. The pesticide application system of the subject invention can be installed in hollow walls when a building is being constructed or may be retrofitted into hollow walls of existing buildings, even when the wall cavities contain insulation, e.g. blowing wool insulation, electrical wiring, plumbing, and other obstructions.
The pesticide application system of the subject invention includes an anchor conduit for anchoring the system to a hollow wall and a dispensing tube for dispensing a pressurized fluid pesticide from the system into an interior cavity of a hollow wall. The anchor conduit functions to convey a pressurized fluid pesticide from an outside surface of a hollow wall into an interior cavity of the hollow wall and to anchor the dispensing tube within the interior cavity of the hollow wall. The anchor conduit has an opening at an outer end for connecting the system to a pressurized fluid pesticide dispenser. The dispensing tube is mounted on an inner end of the anchor conduit to dispense pressurized fluid pesticide into a wall cavity. The anchor conduit of the system may be placed directly in the wallboard of a hollow wall, in a cover plate mounted on a hollow wall, or in a utility cover plate mounted on a hollow wall. The anchor conduit may also be an integral part of a cover plate or utility cover plate.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cutility cover platexe2x80x9d includes wall mounted cover plates for equipment used in connection with the provision of services such as electrical power, lighting, telephone communications, and television and internet cable services, such as but not limited to the cover plates for light switches, electrical receptacles (outlets), phone jacks, television jacks, cable connections, etc.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cpesticidesxe2x80x9d includes insecticides, termiticides and other such toxic substances used to control or exterminate cockroaches, ants such as but not limited to carpenter ants, termites, and other such pests.
The term xe2x80x9cfluidxe2x80x9d is used herein in its broadest sense, including, without limitation, liquids, gels, foams, and gases that can be flowably dispensed under pressure from a pressurized aerosol can or other pressurized source. However, the pesticide application system of the subject invention is especially well suited for dispensing fluid pesticides as a spray such as but not limited to typical pesticide sprays dispensed from aerosol cans. For example, the pesticide application system of the subject invention can be used to dispense an aerosol pesticide spray marketed by Waterbury Companies, Inc. of Waterbury, Conn., under the trade designation CB-40 EXTRA.